NO OFFICIAL POLICY, BUT NASCAR DOESN'T TOLERATE DRUG USE

NASCAR denies it has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drugs. Its
punishment for drug offenders, according to officials, is indefinite
suspension.

However, driver Kevin Lepage said everybody in the sport knows what that
really means. ''If somebody gets caught messing with drugs you never see
them again,'' he said. ''They just disappear.''

The issue of drugs in NASCAR -- and how the sport deals with any drug
problems -- was raised again last month when a member of Lepage's pit crew
was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana with
intent to distribute. Following his May 15 arrest in Bristol, Dave Goulet
was dismissed from the Busch Series team for which Lepage drives. Lepage,
discussing the incident during the recent NASCAR race at Nashville
Superspeedway, said no one tainted by drugs can remain in the sport.

''It's obvious that we can't have a driver on the track who's messing with
that stuff,'' he said. ''And a crewman is just as bad. They are the guys
who tighten the bolts on my car. I can't afford for them to make a mistake.
My life is in their hands.''

Veteran driver Randy LaJoie said he agrees with NASCAR's strict policy
which, unlike most other pro sports, does not give drug offenders repeated
chances.

''Our sport is different because of the safety factors involved,'' he said.
''Can you imagine someone racing or working pit road when they're messed up
on drugs? They could kill somebody in a heartbeat.

''It's also about respect. A lot of the stick and ball guys don't respect
themselves, their sport or anything else. I think it's different in racing.''

Driver Mark Green said the issue is especially sensitive in NASCAR,
''because this is a sport with a wholesome image. Look around the
grandstands at the young kids =85 I know some people think it's corny, but
I think we have a responsibility as role models.

''Also, the companies that put millions of dollars into sponsoring our cars
don't want any negative image. Somebody who's caught with drugs is not
going to be very popular with sponsors.''

All drivers, crewmen and other participants in NASCAR's top touring
divisions are required to sign a release in which he or she agrees to
submit to drug tests if requested. The test consists of urinalysis, with
the sample collected by NASCAR officials and processed at an independent
laboratory.

''We do a lot more testing than most people are aware of,'' said Kevin
Triplett, managing director of business operations for NASCAR. ''You don't
hear much about it, and that's good because that means we aren't catching
many violators.''

Who gets tested?

''Anybody who we have reason to suspect might be guilty,'' said Jim Hunter,
NASCAR's vice president of corporate communications. ''Our best security is
our 'garage police.' Everybody in the garage keeps an eye on each other.
Somebody will notice pretty quickly if someone is showing physical or
emotional signs of drug use. There's nowhere they can hide.''

Would a driver turn in a fellow racer he suspected of using drugs?

''I wouldn't hesitate,'' former NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett said earlier
this year. ''And it wouldn't be a malicious thing. It would be for their
safety and for our safety, too.''

Before Goulet's arrest last month, the most recent drug incident involving
a NASCAR competitor came in February when Winston West driver Sammy
Potaschnick was charged with possession of crack cocaine. Potaschnick, who
was involved in a traffic accident in Florida when he was charged,
maintains his innocence.

Two years ago, Jamie Skinner, a part-time Busch Series and Craftsman Truck
Series driver, was charged with drug possession. He has not been involved
in racing since. In 1997, part-time driver Steve Seligman of Illinois was
sentenced to prison for selling cocaine.

The most prominent driver to be suspended by NASCAR for suspected drug use
was the late Tim Richmond, who died of complications from AIDS in 1989.
Richmond claimed that he was taking only prescription medicine, but Hunter
said that can be sufficient cause to ban a driver.

''Our drug policy includes, but is not limited to, illegal substances,'' he
said. ''For example, there are certain cough medicines that contain codeine
that can cause the person to become drowsy. NASCAR realizes that there are
many prescription or over-the-counter drugs that can affect safety.

''Anything that potentially could impair judgment or performance could
potentially be banned. It would be decided on a case-by-case basis.''

In the sport's early days, drivers had to travel consistently, often
driving long distances between race venues. Some reportedly relied on
''bennies'' to stay awake, but nowadays such stimulants are not necessary
among top-level drivers -- most travel by private plane. As for steroids or
other muscle-building drugs sometimes used by athletes in other sports,
Hunter said he doubts they are present in racing, where sheer physical
strength or bulk affords no advantage. Steroids are illegal in the U.S.
unless prescribed by a doctor.

Triplett said NASCAR is reluctant to impose a lifetime suspension for a
drug offender, ''because we like to think that there is always a chance
that person might be rehabilitated.'' Lepage, however, said he doubts that
many offenders get a second chance.

''If they made that mistake once there's the chance they might make it
again. When lives are at stake, you can't afford second chances.''